Not Herself, an upcoming supernatural horror film starring Elliot Frances Flynn and Michael Paré, has wrapped principal photography in New York. Written and directed by husband-and-wife filmmaking duo Jon Russell Cring and Tracy Nichole Cring, the film follows a young woman whose attempt to rebuild her life takes an unsettling turn when the psychic readings she offers begin revealing disturbing secrets. As the visions become increasingly threatening, she starts to suspect that something inside her new home is communicating through her.
The story centres on Izmarie, who is trying to leave a painful chapter of her life behind. Still carrying guilt over a tragic accident in her past, she moves into a sprawling old house in search of a fresh start. Hoping to establish a new direction for herself, she begins offering psychic readings. Her ability to uncover secrets soon draws her into the private lives of the people around her, but what initially appears to be an unusual gift gradually becomes a source of fear.
As Izmarie’s visions grow darker, they take on an increasingly prophetic and menacing quality. She begins to question whether the presence inside the house is merely revealing hidden truths or using her as a means of communication. What was supposed to be a new beginning becomes an uncertain and potentially dangerous situation, as she struggles to understand the connection between her experiences, her surroundings and the guilt she has carried from her past.
This premise gives Not Herself a personal route into supernatural horror. Rather than relying exclusively on the familiar idea of a haunted property, the story places Izmarie’s psychological state and uncertain sense of control at its centre. Her readings initially appear to offer a way of connecting with other people’s hidden experiences. However, as the visions become more disturbing, that ability begins to threaten her own sense of safety. The house becomes more than a setting for supernatural activity; it is the place where her attempt to move forward collides with something she may not be able to understand or escape.
Behind the film are Jon Russell Cring and Tracy Nichole Cring, the husband-and-wife independent filmmaking team responsible for its screenplay and direction. The pair have produced 20 feature films together, including Wheelies Inc., Girl in the Palms, Darcy and Sky Valley. Their experience across independent feature filmmaking brings Not Herself into a creative partnership with an established production background. Their continued collaboration across writing, directing and producing also places the project in the hands of filmmakers with experience taking feature productions from development through to completion.
Michael Paré‘s casting adds a familiar presence from several generations of genre cinema. He plays Reverend Charles Weathers, a threatening figure in Izmarie’s new life. Paré is recognised for his performances in Streets of Fire and Eddie and the Cruisers. His filmography also includes Village of the Damned, Bad Moon, Bone Tomahawk and The Virgin Suicides. With credits spanning action, horror and cult favourites, the actor brings a substantial genre background to the project. His role as Reverend Charles Weathers places him within the increasingly unsettling circumstances surrounding Izmarie’s experiences.
For Elliot Frances Flynn, Not Herself follows a series of screen appearances that have brought her wider attention. She recently appeared as Zora in the second season of HBO Max’s Peacemaker. Her other credits include Only Murders in the Building, Long Bright River and Mare of Easttown. In Not Herself, Flynn takes on the lead role of Izmarie, carrying a story in which fear, guilt and the possibility of an unseen influence are closely connected to the central character’s perceptions.
The role requires the film to keep its supernatural developments closely tied to Izmarie’s experience. As the visions become more disturbing, the distinction between what she believes she is discovering and what may be happening around her becomes increasingly uncertain. That uncertainty forms the central tension of the premise, with the character’s past and her attempt to rebuild her life providing the emotional context for the horror.
With principal photography now complete in New York, Not Herself moves into its next stage. The film brings together Flynn in a leading role, Paré as a threatening presence and an independent filmmaking team with 20 feature productions behind them. Further details about post-production, distribution and release plans have not been announced. Its premise sets up a supernatural horror story built around secrets, unsettling visions and a woman whose search for a fresh start may have brought her into contact with something she cannot control.
